Shortaki Shorts & Other Stories
by Asha-Blue18
Summary: Collection of random one-shots I manage to put into words. Mostly AxH. Enjoy! Latest Upload: #3. Lessons - Because who better than to give Arnold a lesson on kissing than the girl always kissing him?
1. Thinking About Boys

**SUMMARY: Someone's busy thinking about boys. But is there someone thinking about girls too? I just randomly started an iPod shuffle of one-shots because I need inspiration, pronto! First song is up. Mostly going to be fluff AxH, rated as they come. Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hey Arnold, hence why this story is here on FFNET.**

* * *

 **Song 1: Boys by Charlie XCX**

 _I was busy thinkin' 'bout boys, boys, boys_  
 _Always busy dreamin' 'bout boys, boys, boys (XCX)_  
 _Head is spinnin' thinkin' 'bout boys_

 _Note: Arnold and Helga are around 15._

* * *

So where was I?

Oh yes, Stinky looks a little different. Taller, if that was even possible, and a little more built too. Huh. When did that twig find the time to gain muscle? And where was I when that happened?

There he is talking to Pink Boy, err, Harold now. Pink Boy...really? Heh, funny how he never caught up height-wise to well, any of the other boys, but he's slimmer so... there's that. Who knew that spending all that time on football and meat butchering on the side would do wonders? He ain't so pink anymore either. Maybe I should let that nickname die...or not. Definitely not.

Oh god is that Sid's hair? Phoebe was right then, it definitely is luscious! His nose though, still funny. How the heck have I never called him _Nose_ -boy before? Not even once. And those boots. Still with the boots - I mean, really Gifaldi? Some trends should really just die a slow, torturous death. I could help with that.

...

Ewww he's kissing his frog again. Yuck.

I look away, controlling myself from gagging.

My feet move of its own accord as I head to my locker on the other side of the hallway, close to the auditorium. Without warning, a blur of red and manic energy almost stumbles into me, but thank god for fast reflexes on my part.

"Oh I'm sorry Helga," he says, still running. I wave him away, watching as he runs head first into a locker door. "I'm okay!" He says to no one in particular.

Good ol' Eugene. Still short, redheaded, and still with those cute freckles. The klutziness is the same too. Never change, Red, no matter what I say.

I finally reach my locker and open it, pretty sure someone is talking to me. At the moment though, I really wasn't listening because Gerald just walked around the corner. He who used to have that tall stack of hair that I truly despised. Thank all the gods he finally decided to cut his hair to more of a close crop, oh but now he has an itty bitty wittle soul patch. He he. I should annoy him about it more. The boy is tall - the only one aside from Stinky and Curly to catch up to me - and muscular. Boy is he toned, but I can't say I'm surprised, I mean, I see how he flits from one sport to the other like it was going out of style.

Kudos to him though, and to Phoebe, who's dating him. I may never say this out loud but she's found herself a worthy specimen of man, who's also a gentleman to boot - if what my best friend tells me is any indication.

Of course, if I was ever told otherwise I already promised to gouge his eyes out, castrate him, then feed the remains to my monitor lizard - his name is Ronald.

Yes I named my monitor lizard _Ronald_. Why, you ask? Well how dare you ask? But fine, I'm in a good enough mood. I named my monitor lizard Ronald because it's an acronym for Ar -holyfxxkingshxt!

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

I think perfection just joined us mortal men. We are not worthy.

He-he's taller, as tall as I am, in fact.

There he is sharing that corny little handshake with Geraldo and oh, his arms. Sinewy, tanned, toned, but not so much as to become distracting. They're _perfect_. Strong. Like he could lift me up in one fell swoop and I'd be safe in his arms, and -

Why does he have to be wearing a fitted white shirt of all things today? Can't he see I'm drooling here? I can see the outline of his abs and pectorals and I'm swooning. I follow the line from where his neck peeks out of his shirt to his face - his adorable, football-shaped face - to those kissable pink lips currently lit up in a smile, his cute nose, and those bright green eyes of his that sparkled as he talked with Gerald about something or other.

Finally my eyes reach his tousled (not messy) flaxen locks. So soft, so luscious; I'm suddenly itching to abandon all decorum and march up to him, push him against the locker he's leaning on and run my hands through that hair before having my wicked way with his pretty pink lips, school be damned.

Oh god Helga ol' Girl, you sound insane. _Again_.

Remember your training. Breathe. Calm breaths.

Those bottle green eyes shift to meet mine. Oh god he's looking at me. Oh my effing god he just caught me staring! Abort! Abort!

My heart constricts suddenly when he gives me _that_ smile, that perfect half-lid eyed, dreamy smile, his green eyes twinkling.

What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?

I feel the corners of my mouth go upwards.

I'm smiling back.

Oh god I'm smiling back. Helga, what the hell!? Abort! Abort!

His eyes widen and his smile widens too. Then he winks.

Oh my god did he wink?

Did. He. Just. Fucking. Wink? My legs are trembling.

-lga! Helga!"

I look away, legs trembling, heart pounding, as I try to focus on the voice calling my name, the owner of which turns out to be Rhonda. The same Rhonda who was now frowning at me, shaking her head a little. "Huh?"

Oh how eloquent. You are a gift with words Helga ol' Girl.

She must have agreed with me because she rolls her eyes, looking at me with that look of hers that spelled utter disappointment. Too bad I wasn't 6-feet tall, dark, and surprisingly handsome Thaddeus 'Curly' Gammelthorpe, so the look does nothing for me. "Were you listening to me at all?"

"I-uh-I -

She rolls her eyes again and I fight the urge to jab my fingers in them. I was still pretty out of it though, so I just stare back and silently will her to just get it over with. Sighing a little dramatically, she finally continues, "I said," and she pauses, making sure I was listening. I was. "I'm having a back-to-school party tomorrow evening. You should come,"

I blink for a moment then shrug, "Yeah sure, I'll go, maybe tag with Phoebe and Geraldo"

Her jaw hangs open, and I'm sure it's because she was expecting more resistance. I would have done so too, if it wasn't for that certain distracting football-head I could see just past her shoulder, "Oh, err, really? That's great Helga,"

I shrug, "Yeah, don't sweat it Princess,"

Rhonda smiles and once again, I smile back.

Yep my mood is shot for today.

I was expecting her to just walk off after that so I could go find Phoebe and tell her all about my morning - my amazing, spectacular, _multi-smile-worthy_ morning - but then Rhonda speaks up again, "Soooo, why did you ignore me for a whole two minutes?"

My eyes wander back to the flaxen haired angel behind her, this time catching him staring. He blushes a pretty red when he realizes that I caught him, but then smiles again. Finally, he makes some sort of gesture that looks like a wave and walks off to his next class, Gerald giving him a look the whole time. I wonder what he'll say.

I look back to meet Rhonda's enquiring gaze and shrug, "Oh nothing, I was just busy thinking about boys,"

"Boys?" She asks, raising a slender eyebrow.

I smile, "Yep, boys,"

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XXXXXX

* * *

Gerald frowns, watching his daydreamer best friend look off in the distance, a big goofy smile on his face.

"Arnold?"

He doesn't answer, so Gerald puts a hand to his shoulder and starts shaking. "Arnold!"

Finally the boy blinks and looks towards him, still looking a little dazed, "What? Huh?"

"I _said_ , what are you smiling about?"

Arnold smiles and shrugs, his gaze wandering back to Helga as she talked to Rhonda by her locker. He didn't see Gerald follow his gaze to Helga, nor did he hear him say his famous 'mmm mmm mmm', because all he could really focus on at the moment was the blonde who just smiled at him. She _smiled back_ at him. Helga G Pataki just smiled back. At _him._ She looked especially pretty that day too, wearing a floaty pink dress that ended at her knees, paired with a white hoodie jacket and white tennis shoes, her pink ribbon wrapped around her neck as a choker. Her blond hair was down, swept to one side of her face, tumbling down in soft waves. Her lips puckered slightly as she talked, and all Arnold could do was stare and wonder if they were still as soft and pillowy as they were the first time. If she ever gave him another chance to kiss her, this time he would savor every moment.

Arnold looks up when he feels her gaze on him, and gets lost in her big baby blues. He feels his face heat up, realizing that she just caught him staring. Then one corner of her lips quirks up to form her playful smirk and Arnold just about loses it. He likes that smirk even more than her first smile.

Finally he lifts a hand to wave to her, and is unable to stop the smile appearing on his face. Yes, he would definitely revisit this little - something - later. He looks back at Gerald, who was still waiting for an answer, one eyebrow raised as he watches his friend's lovesick gaze.

Arnold shrugs, his smile still goofy as he follows Gerald to their first class, "Girls, Gerald. I was just thinking about girls,"

* * *

 **And that's it. Yeah it's silly, but seriously the first thing that popped into my mind when I heard the song was Helga going gaga over Arnold. The other boys are just extra helpings of gravy. I also couldn't help but add Arnold's little part at the end, though in a different style, for...err...reasons. Just how it came out.**

 **So whadday'all think? Lemme know!**

 **Also, I may add to this from time to time so stay tuned. I've got some pretty dark songs there so it won't be all fluff.**


	2. Magnetic

**Summary: Because you and me, we're Magnetic.**

 **\- Collection of random one-shots I manage to put into words. Mostly AxH. Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hey Arnold, hence why this story is here on FFNET.**

* * *

 _Note: Arnold & Helga are around 28 years old._

* * *

 **Magnetic**

Arnold sighed as he realized just how _idiotic_ this whole convoluted plan had been. How glaringly optimistic. So optimistic, in fact, that he could just hear Helga whisper in his ear, _"Seriously yutz, just how did you expect this idiotic, stupid plan to go? Your way? Well, quit putting your head in the clouds, ya dumb optimist!"_

Helga. That was another thing.

He missed her.

Missed her so much it ached.

Missed her so much he was currently in the middle of New York City with only a backpack in hand and a vague idea of where she was, if you could even call a letter with an office address dated three years ago a _vague idea_. For all he knew she had moved cities already. Hell for all he knew she wasn't in the same continent anymore, which was exactly what his best friend told him when he formulated this hairbrained scheme.

 _"Seriously, man, she was in NYC for a hot minute to find an editor for her book, for all we know she's in Timbuktu by now,"_

But he argued that he _knew_ how good of a writer she was. If editors were to read her manuscripts, he doubted they would have turned her away. Hence, New York. It had to be.

He was really starting to despise just how dense he had been all through his schooling years. If he had realized all these feelings for his former school bully sooner, then maybe, just maybe, he could have asked her to stay. Asked her not to disappear. Maybe asked her if she wanted to get married, or something. Anything. Live in sin with her, if that's all she wanted, or just be her friend, or whatever.

 _"But, man, how are you even planning to find her?"_

And that's when this adventure of idiotic proportions began.

The moment he entered New York he made a beeline for the address Phoebe had shown him. For the first week he focused on nothing but walking around the building. Making himself obvious. When that didn't work he increased the walk to the next block, walked around there, then increased the walk to another block. By the time he had reached a ten-mile radius from the office building, he decided that maybe it just won't happen.

So he started walking around famous landmarks. Time's Square, Central Park, the museums, the boroughs.

So many things to see. So much to experience.

But no Helga.

For two weeks he did nothing but walk, wishing, no hoping, that this _thing_ they've always had, this _magnetism_ that had always made them bump into each other almost everyday from the time they met, was real.

 _"_ _ **That's**_ _your plan?" Gerald had looked at him with distress, "You plan to walk around until you_ _ **bump**_ _into her?" He rubbed a hand on his face, "Arnold, buddy, can you not hear how insane you sound right now? You're placing all your cards on the table on a one-percent chance that you would_ _ **bump**_ _into her in a place with millions of people, that's insane,"_

 _Phoebe nodded as well, "As much as I would love to see my best friend again, I have to admit that I do concur with that, Arnold, the ratio of probability of finding her is too small,"_

But tickets were booked, rooms were reserved, and the next thing he knew, he was alone in NYC with a plan that bordered on insanity, he was realizing. Because magnetism, that was only something that happened with metals, not humans.

He sighed and gave the cashier the money for the coffee, immediately leaving the coffee shop afterwards, still deep in thought.

He was leaving the next day.

He had put enough time off work, and even had to get some non-paid leaves to go on this journey, fueled only by what his grandma told him, that he _should_ do it because if it were Eleanor in his position and vice versa, he knew she would do it for him.

She was the only one who supported this bombastic plan, not that that was helping much.

But it was all for nothing.

Just a whole stinkin' pile of nothing –

 _ **Crash!**_

His coffee cup flew from his hands to the ground as he lost his balance and ended up toppling over the person who bumped into him. They fell to the pavement, him landing on the other person and the other person landing on concrete.

Almost immediately, a long string of cuss words left the other person's lips, but he wasn't listening, too shocked to do so.

"Hey, hey bucko, you planning to get off me anytime soon!?" at that he startled, pushing himself off of her at breakneck speed and landing on his butt on the pavement right across her. He dared not look away, afraid that she would disappear if he were to so much as blink. She still looked the same. Same long blonde hair, though it was loose and swept to the side as opposed to being tied in pigtails. Same blue eyes, though she didn't have the monobrow anymore. Same blood-curdling expression on her face, though he couldn't help but think how attractive she looked when she was angry. Same color pink, though now it was a jacket and heels as opposed to a dress and a bow.

She was the same Helga. And yet she wasn't.

And she was still swearing.

Finally he found his voice and uttered the first thing that came to mind, "H-Helga?"

She looked at him then, her eyes widening as she got a good look at him, the string of cusses trailing off to a stop. An array of emotions danced across her face – shock, surprise, confusion, fondness, suspicion. It stopped at suspicion.

"F-Football head?" she said at last, "W-what are you doing here?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but held back. How could he explain something so idiotic? Something so reckless? Just to find her? Would she think he was insane? Would he survive if she were to laugh in his face? Decisions, decisions. Finally, he settled for the truth and tried not to grimace as he got up and reached out a hand to her, "Looking for you,"

When she gave him a look his heart skipped a beat. But she merely took the offered hand and got up, dusting her suit while still looking at him with wide eyes, "I didn't leave my address with anyone, only one from the office with Pheebs," her eyes narrowed, "How did you know where to find me?"

He smiled then, the elation and happiness bubbling from the pit of his stomach to the surface, threatening to burst out of him as he looked at the woman he loved, "Oh Helga, you should know by now,"

She blinked, but just as quickly went back to her stoic demeanor, "Know what?"

He didn't know what would happen next.

He didn't know how this would go.

He didn't know if he could convince her to come home with him.

He didn't know if she still loved him.

But he knew one thing, and that was no matter what happened with them, no matter where their lives brought them, they would _always_ find each other, and that was a comforting thought. He stepped closer to her, jumping for joy on the inside when she didn't take a step back, "You and me," he gently cupped her cheek, watching as she blushed profusely, marveling at the girl he thought he would never find, "We're magnetic,"

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 **Ahhh, bunnies. Fluffy bunnies. So much bunnies.**

 **I have like three of these fluffy one-shots written out. Gadddd, so cringy and yetttt...I do actually love the fluff.**

 **This one is supposed to end right where it ended. The rest is up to you.**

 **New one-shot may not be as far from today as you think.**

 **Hope you enjoyed this!**

 **\- ASHA**


	3. Lessons

**Summary: Because who better than to give Arnold a lesson on kissing?**

 **\- Collection of random one-shots I manage to put into words. Mostly AxH. Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hey Arnold, hence why this story is here on FFNET.**

* * *

 _Note: Arnold & Helga are 12 years old - TJM never happened, but the Hey Arnold Movie did._

* * *

Arnold shuddered as a soft pair of lips met his.

The lips were warm, soft, and sweet like candy. Without realizing it his eyes had fluttered shut as he tried to understand the sensations he was feeling.

Warmth pooled and butterflies raged in his stomach.

Tingles exploded from the tips of his fingers to the ends of his toes.

And why was he shivering and entirely too warm at the same time?

He inhaled deeply through his nose and got his senses assaulted by a strong scent of vanilla. It smelled delicious. Divine.

When the lips started moving against his, he felt a small sound escape his lips.

Hands ran through his hair and tightened at his back, and his own hands began running themselves through soft hair in pigtails, wanting, no needing, to feel more.

Then something warm and wet licked his bottom lip.

He gasped, his mouth opening just enough for her to enter with her tongue, to coax his own into a little tug of war. He heard her moan, eliciting an unbidden one from his own lips.

His hands, one on her lower back and one in her hair, tightened and tugged at the pigtail completely by instinct. It must have been the right thing to do because she moaned again, the sound going straight to his lower abdomen.

He pulled her even closer, his mouth giving her more access, his mind lost in all the new sensations he was feeling. He wanted more.

 _More of what?_ He wondered.

But more, he wanted more.

Then just as abruptly, her lips left his.

He tried to follow, his face moving forward, but two hands on his shoulders held him back.

His eyes fluttered open. She was breathing hard, her face flushed and her lips swollen. It was a breathtaking sight and he was already out of breath.

She took one hand from his shoulder and placed it on her chest, trying to regulate her breathing, eyes trained on the floor.

A moment passed before she finally looked back at him and gave him her signature smirk.

Back to normal, he guessed.

"And that, my dear Football Head, is how you kiss", her voice was hoarse. As soon as the words left her mouth she fully removed both hands from his and scooched away from him, crossing her arms. "That concludes our lesson. You can see yourself out,"

And with that, she stood up and walked back to her bed, jamming earbuds into her ears, the loud rock music spilling through.

It was an obvious dismissal. Not wanting to linger in her personal space, he uttered a quiet 'Thank you Helga," and after he was rewarded with a half-hearted wave in return, bolted out of her room.

On his way down the stairs he thought about the kiss, his eyes going half-lidded.

It was him who initiated the 'lessons'. He wanted to learn how to kiss if he was ever going to keep up, and after that little show they put on during the Romeo and Juliet production, as well as what happened on top of the building that started with an F and ended with an I, with a T in the middle, he knew of only one person who could teach him. He smiled.

All the times they had kissed, it had been her who initiated it, and he had never gotten to enjoy it.

All this time he's been waiting patiently for his turn, and now he finally got it.

He was out the door when he turned to look at the window he knew was to her room. His smile widened.

Maybe he could ask her if she wanted to continue the 'lessons'; he still needed to improve his skills, after all. He'd ask her over dinner. Or lunch…if she preferred that more.

He smiled as he made his plans. He would ask her tomorrow.

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 **Hehehehehe. If you have watched the movie 'Great Expectations' with Ethan Hawke, that was the level of young people kissing weirdness I was going for. Also the 'lesson' thing I got from 'Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging'. Love that movie hehehe.**

 **But I think Arnold and Helga have always been matured for their ages, so I don't think it's super weird to write about them kissing with tongue at 12.**

 **Tell me if I'm wrong!**

 **Hope you like this new installment.**

 **A new chapter of Roommates is coming sooooonnnnn...ish.**


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